Written by Al Beaton | 26 August 2009

With Lions’ MVP Jason Hanson still recovering from a knee “procedure” (Just call it for what it is, SURGERY! I’m SICK and TIRED of SEMANTICS!) and unlikely to be ready for the New Orleans opener, Patrick Swazye Muddy Watters getting stung by The Turk and turning in his playbook (Do placekickers even need a playbook? It would be about a page long: Kick it long, kick it short, angle the kick towards the sidelines, kick it along the ground, pooch it, squib it, make all your field goals and extra points...and never yell "MAYDAY" if you are a punter...) and wide out Dane Looker being relieved of his kicking duties and going back to dropping passes, the Lions picked up insurance in former Cowboys kicker Billy Cundiff.

The only thing that stands out in my mind about Cundiff was his starring role in the 2002 season of HBO’s “Hard Knocks.” His story of a rookie trying to make what used to be America’s Team was one of the more interesting of that season. NFL Films, skillful as ever, had those of us watching truly rooting for the then wet behind the ears Cundiff.

Cundiff did make the Cowboys, and was their kicker for the next 4 seasons. But he’s bounced around the league since.

Per Graham Couch at Mlive:

Cundiff spent his first four seasons in the NFL as Dallas' starting kicker from 2002-05. He's briefly kicked for the Buccaneers, Saints, Falcons and Chiefs over the last three seasons.

In my mind, when it comes to journeyman players like Cundiff, a kicker is a kicker is a kicker. 6 of one is a half dozen of the other.They are all nameless cogs in the NFL machine.

We’ve been spoiled here in Detroit by the Lions’ kicking duties being held for most of the past 3 decades by a pair of the best kickers to ever don an NFL uniform, Eddie Murray and Hanson. I shudder to think of the day where the Lions have to spend an entire season with the likes of Cundiff handling kicking duties. I’d be worried sick over damn near every kick. It’s a feeling we’ve rarely had to deal as fans, possibly since the early to mid 70’s, when journeyman Errol Mann was kicking straight on, and missing wide right, left and short.

Kickers can't live with 'em, can't...relax when they are lined up for a chip shot...save for when the kicker is Jason Hanson.

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